THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As part of making 45,000 classrooms ‘hi-tech’, the Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE), formerly known as IT@School, has rolled out the largest Information and Communications Technology (ICT) e-tender for schools in the state at an estimated cost of Rs 300 cr. The e-tender, floated for 60,250 laptops and 43,750 multimedia projectors, was published in the portal www.etenders.kerala.gov. in, making it the largest of its kind in the state related to ICT. KITE is the first Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to receive funding from Kerala Infrastructure and Investment Fund Board ( KIIFB ).
The e-tenders published by KITE are for the ICT equipment to be provided under the hi-tech school project. Out of the 4,775 government and aided schools to be covered under this programme, 2,685 are high schools, 1,701 higher secondary schools and 389 vocational higher secondary schools. Each classroom will be equipped with laptop, multimedia projector, whiteboard and sound system. Each hi-tech IT lab will feature UPS, multifunction printers, LCD TV and an HD camera. Specific e-security features would also be installed in schools.
The IT labs and classrooms will be connected via network through a Central server in the lab, which will allow sharing of information. High-speed fibrebased broadband internet will be made avai labl e in al l classrooms.
The tender insists a five-year on-site comprehensive warranty for all the components, including battery and power adapter of the laptops and bulb of the multimedia projector. “Such a stringent condition that ensures hasslefree support for schools for five years is the first of its kind in the country,” said K Anvar Sadath, vice-chairman and executive director, KITE.
The deployment of equipment to schools is planned in three phases, first phase (30,000 laptops and 20,000 projectors) in November - December 2017, second in January - February 2018 and the final phase in April - May 2018. The e-tender for other equipment like multifunction printers, 3 KVA UPS, LCD TV and HD camera will be published soon. Before the start of of the next academic year, all 45,000 classrooms will be fully digitised, Sadath said.